Breadmaking 101

So last year I started on a homemade bread making adventure. I've been trying out different recipes all last year searching for the perfect sandwich recipe! I've had several friends give me tips, live tutorials and still I would come home and fail. So this year, we began praying the Lord would help Mommy figure out the bread! Every time I would talk about my bread failures, someone would mention an old friend Wendy Mckormick. SO, Mommy sent her an email asking her for some bread-making tips. She sent me many tips, I tried them and still... FAILED. SO, gracious Mrs. Wendy loaded up her 3 precious children and came over for a hands on demo with all my ingredients and kitchen tools. She showed me all her tips and walked me through step by step how to get the best results. Wow! My bread turned out like this:


Momma is doing the happy dance!! Daddy ate a sandwich with the sandwich loaf today!!Each child has gobbled up more bread than ever!! I have a new confidence and learned so much! Oh the possibilities now!! Thanks Jesus for hearing my cries for help and sending Wendy's hands to help me!

"When Jesus crashes in, out comes something beautiful"

So, a few years back Pastor Rodney wrote this song: When Jesus crashes in, out comes something beautiful. Seems like I remember Pastor Brandon having something to do with this song too. I really cant remember, but this song was written and we have come to love it as a church body.

Today at church pastor Rodney sang this song. I began to explain to her that Pastor Rodney had written this song, kind of like she likes to make up songs and write them. She began listening and asked what it means for Jesus to crash into your soul.
At the same time she began asking this great question, her little brother began a crying jealous fit for Mommy. I took Cade, and Chesney went to her Daddy.She began asking him to answer her questions. During worship they began discussing what it means for Jesus to crash into your soul. She told Keith that she wanted to do that, to ask Jesus to live in her heart. So, while all were singing, they bowed their heads and Keith lead her through a prayer of salvation. Our little girl asked Jesus into her heart, right in the middle of worship! She came and told me, then went to her big brother and told him. She walked over to him, hugged and him and whispered, " I asked Jesus into my heart, Britton." Britton say's, "You asked Jesus into your heart? right now?" "Yes, I did." Then you see Britton eyes light up.He leaned over and whispered in her ear, " I have been praying that you would do that. I prayed that during our fast." She looked at him with great surprise and they hugged again. Keith and Chesney went up to tell the church about the mornings events. Pastor Brandon had preached about salvation, and had prayed during prayer time that someone would get saved today.

This month our church had been participating in a 21 day fast. Britton and Chesney had been fasting one dessert a day and praying for a few specific things. I had secretly asked Britton to pray for Chesney's salvation and for her to grow closer to Jesus this year. Keith and I had been praying this as well over the past several months. Chesney had been asking many questions lately and her heart really began changing about a month ago. This Sunday was the day of feasting and the fast was over. It amazes me that this morning she made this decision. Only God could orchestrate such an event. It spoke volumes to my son's heart that the Lord had heard his prayers for his sister. I will never forget the look on his face when he realized that the Lord had answered his prayers.

When Pastor Rodney and Melinda told Claire(Chesney's side kick)that Chesney had decided to follow Jesus, Claire said, " Yeah, so now we are both Krystal's".(or christian).
So, yes our little girl is a Krystal :D It was such a wonderful day. Such joy fills my soul. I am overwhelmed with His love for us!!

Fur Real?

Mommy's struggling to find time to post lately. But, I can't let this moment slip away. Chesney received a "fur real" kitty cat for Christmas. She sat in Santa's lap and told him that all she wanted was a robot like kitty cat that wasn't real, but looked and acted real She told Santa it was made of plastic and metal. Santa said, "Oh yes my dear, I know exactly what kitty you are talking about!"

On Christmas morning the fur real kitty was sitting on the couch. She ran right up to it and didn't let it out of her hands for the next 7 days!! No other present mattered. No other toy was touched for several days. Keith and I have never seen a child enjoy one toy to such an extent. She decided to name the kitty Felicity. We recently went on a field trip and saw a play about a cat named Felicity. She remembered the name and came up with it all on her own!! Felicity is so real, its kind of freaky. She bathes her self, roles over on to her back, purrs and meows when you walk by her.... Why we needed such a toy when Chesney has a real cat that does all those same things, is beyond me. However, Chesney's in love. She told me the house was even now. 3 Boys and 3 girls!

Cade turns 2!

My baby is 2! I can hardly believe it. Last week we celebrated Cades birthday with family and a few friends at the fine family entertainment establishment: Chucky Cheese! It was a very thrown together party for our sweet little boy. Cade enjoyed his party in a way that no other child has ever before. It's hard to even explain it. He loved it all: the games, the mouse, the family, friends, presents, pizza, and cake. He enjoyed every bit of it. He said, "yeah" and "wow" and "OOOH" as he opened each gift and ate each bite. He thanked everyone for each present. It was beautiful. Again, like no other party we've had. Then again, Cade is like no other. He was given to us simply to bring joy to our lives. His constant smiles, giggles and "yeah's and wow's", make my Mommy heart melt. I praise the Lord for you my little man! Happy Birthday!

Mom's memories...AKA: Gram

Since Mom died we started a new tradition in the Best home of placing an additional tree with all of her ornaments on them. Mom left me 40+ Christmas boxes to sort through and decide what to do with. I couldn't keep it all, so I culled it down to about 10 boxes. (I know alot of christmas stuff!) My Mom's favorite time of the year was Christmas. She baked, and baked, and baked, and decorated, decorated, decorated, and stayed extra busy making memories at Christmas. She loved to buy ornaments. I never understood this passion of hers. However, I am so thankful for it now. Mom had ornaments that represented everything that she loved. So, when we put up her tree, our kids are learning all about her. In fact Britton believes that he remembers her. He was just turning 3 when she died. I know he does not remember her, but I love that we have kept her memory alive in such a way that he believes that he knew her. I know our yearly christmas tree decorating helps my kids to know who she was and what she was like. I never knew or understood why she bought all the car, football, barbie, and doll house ornaments. Now I know. She was buying them for her future grandkids! They love these ornaments the most and she knew that when she was buying them. Oh, such a wonderful woman. I am so thankful to have had her for 30 years!!
Some of my favorite ornaments on her tree:

The Harley ( for her favorite child, the son IN LAW)



Mr. Grinch ( because she loved to read and she read Dr.Suess to me alot)


Raggedy Ann and Andy ( this was the theme for my baby nursery)



All the ones my Aunt Denie made. They date back to the 80's. Such a beautiful reminder of a wonderful friendship!



One of my favorite part of Christmas. Seeing my kids love these trees as much as Mommy and Gram!!

Lets play ball!!

I (keith) played football and wanted to play, my Father tells me, since I was six. Not to brag but I was really good. I played until my senior year in high school and loved to play. I was not built for college, too small, so I really felt I waisted some time with this game and did not spend enough time playing baseball which I loved also but not as much as football and would have been more suited to play beyond high school. So when my first born began to love baseball I tried to steer him in that direction and keep him away from football as much as I could. Alas growing up in the south he begged to play and all his friends were going to so we chose flag football. And wouldn't you know it, he is really good also. He may even be better than me. He ran nearly all our touchdowns and even caught a few. But his ability to run with the ball is truly athletic. It is something you are born with and coming from someone who can do it, I am able to see the talent. He can feel where to run and how to cut without me telling him how to do it. We would get in a bind and Coach Eric would say "just run Britton" we would and he would score. He of course loves it and the natural ability makes him love it even more. I am so proud of him, but I am more proud of the way he plays the game. He is respectful and obedient, something that was missing in many of the teams we players and coaches we played against this year. In one game we needed a score and we called Britton to the left. (Really a complicated offensive system) He ran and got stopped and was upset and one of the other kids on the other team called him a loser and he was crying. As I fixed his flag I told him to not worry about that kid and what he said and focus on the game because we are going to need him in a minute. He dried up is tears and did what I said and kept playing. Two plays later Britton made a tremendous catch for a touchdown that helped win the game for us. He talked about how I told him what to do and how he did it and in the end it helped him overcome the adversity of the moment. That is a lesson that not all sports can teach a young man. He then began to really love all football. He watches college and pro. He knows teams and players names and collects football cards and memorizes them. ( I never loved it as much as he does) So we took him to his first Alabama football game. UA vs Chattanooga. We walked around got him a stick on UA tatoo and a cool alabama hat. We ate pizza and coke in the stadium and UA of course won. Afterwards we went to the quad and guess what Britton did. He rounded up a bunch of boys and got a football pick up game going. We left and stopped at the Original Dreamland and ate ribs. It was a great day. So it looks like he is a full fledged football addict. Looks like we have many years of football to go. I look forward I think most to be able to pass on the knowledge of the game to him but also to have opportunities to pass on more of those life lessons as we enjoy this game together.

I will always be proud of you son.

Love Dad

Peace filled day!

Wow, what a great morning! This day has been nothing special. Cold, wet, rainy, but peaceful. Today we all gathered around the table for breakfast for bible time, spent some time praying together, and then off to start school. Cade went and got his blanket out for blanket time and helped me set up his toys. Then Chesney asked if she could do crafts today, so we set her up for craft time. Britton sat up at the bar working on his school diligently. Cade in the floor playing quietly, Chesney cutting and gluing at the table, Britton doing school work at the bar, Momma singing in the kitchen. It was such a beautiful moment. Nothing miraculous, just a peace filled school day while we listened to the rain beat on the roof. I am so thankful we get to have such experiences together. I love you my dear children!